Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

As the nations across the globe scramble to manufacture a vaccine against COVID-19, a recent study has claimed that an experimental vaccine has proven to be effective at preventing pneumonia in COVID-19 infected mice. This vaccine is made from a mild virus that has been genetically modified to carry a gene key gene of the Sars-CoV-2. The study has been published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe. 

Lead author of the study from Washington University, Dr. Michael A. Diamond said, “Unlike many of the other vaccines under development, this vaccine is made from a virus that is capable of spreading in a limited fashion inside the human body, which means it is likely to generate a strong immune response. Our vaccine candidate is now being tested in additional animal models with the goal of getting it into clinical trials as soon as possible.”

A viral strain of a mild livestock virus aka vesicular stomatitis virus has been genetically modified to create a mild strain carrying a major spike protein COVID-19 gene. This hybrid viral strain is known as VSV-Sars-CoV-2. The spike protein is generally used by the coronavirus to adhere to the human host cells and then infect them. The human body later generates antibodies against this spike protein. By creating a mild viral strain carrying this spike protein gene, the researchers hope that the human body will be able to generate the same immune response and produce antibodies against COVID-19 when injected with this vaccine.

For the purpose of the study, a group of mice was injected with this vaccine. After four weeks of the initial injections, a booster shot was also administered. After three weeks of every injection, the scientists drew the blood of mice to evaluate the formation of any antibodies. The results showed that after the first dose, high levels of such antibodies were found and this level increased by 90-folds after the second dose. Then after five weeks, the scientists sprayed the dose inside the noses of the mice and much to their amazement, it protected them from developing pneumonia.

Moreover, four days post-infection, the scientists did not see traces of any virus in the bloodstream of mice that had been given one or two doses of the vaccine. However, the mice that received the placebo did experience lung inflammation and viral traces were found too. Therefore, scientists claim that this is still an ongoing trial.

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